The need for housing is still a relevant problem in the Netherlands, part of this problem is assigned to elderly while they often stay in their current housing situation for a long time and only move when they are in need for housing with additional health care. However, the actual problem, which is also visible in the city of Haarlem is that there is a lack of suitable elderly housing and often the elderly housing that is available is experienced as not attractive enough to move to before people are indeed in need for housing with additional care facilities.

In the upcoming years, around 700.000 square meters of police real estate will be divested and 30% of the real estate of the police is in need for redevelopment. Atelier Politiebouwmeester provided us with the assignment to look into the possibilities of several of their buildings for in the future.

One of this buildings is the Koudenhorn in Haarlem, a large building covering an entire urban block in the inner city of Haarlem. The disconnection of this building with the surrounding public space caught the attention and raised questions on how this building would function if it would have a public use.
This combined led to the following research- and design question: How could the Koudenhorn building in Haarlem be transformed into elderly housing that includes public accessible functions to stimulate social interaction both amongst the inhabitants of the building and with the neighborhood?

A research into the topic of public interiors, public space and porosity resulted in eight architectural focus points that influence the public character of interior or enclosed spaces. Analyzing the focus points in a case study research resulted in strategies for each focus point that can be tested and implemented during the design process.

Within the re-design of the Koudenhorn, the courtyard of the building is added to the pedestrian network of the city. Collective spaces such as a dining hall, music studio and library and public accessible functions such as a sport facility and makerspace are added to the various typologies of elderly housing to create a attractive living environment for elderly within a building that contributes to its surroundings.

The Dutch Police is one of the largest owners of public real estate in the Netherlands. From police station to forensic laboratory, from listed buildings in the centre of The Hague to large-scale facilities next to the motorway in Driebergen: the task of accommodating the Police is as diverse as it is challenging. Themes such as innovation and sustainability, health and safety, as well as identity, flexibility and affordability are all of relevance for the Police’s accommodation strategy. Efforts are being made to strike a new balance between the physical, mobile and digital workplace. Since the formation of the National Police, there has been an enormous challenge to accommodate the organization. In realizing this task, the police has the ambition to raise the quality of police buildings as well as the experience users have in the buildings. At the same time, the police is at the heart of an ever changing society: The accommodation needs to meet the requirements posed by several developments such as the energy transition, climate change and digitization. How do these developments influence the task of future-proofing (cultural) heritage? Which role can our heritage buildings play in these transitions? The key lies in our present actions coupled with the lessons of the past. Different approaches on Built Heritage will open our eyes and help with today’s issues. To see what is valuable. Will the decisions made in the past be our strength or pitfall? How will objects developed in the past, exposed to today’s spatial developments, help us? Through the power of imagination, the Studio Vacant heritage from Heritage and Architecture proudly reveals many possibilities.@en

The Guggenheim museum in Bilbao had an important influence on the economical growth of the city and the redevelopment of a industrial area in the city, referred to as the Bilbao Effect. Later, other cities tried a similar approach in the redevelopment of city areas, of which the redevelopment of het Eilandje in Antwerp is an example.In literature the definitions provided for the term Bilbao effect often focus on the Guggenheim museum, its aesthetics and influence of the building. However, the museum was part of a larger masterplan to redevelop Bilbao after a industrial decline. This thesis will elaborate on the masterplans used to redevelop the industrial areas in both Bilbao and Antwerp. While these redevelopments handle former industrial areas with little green, the focus will be on the implementation of greenery in the masterplans and the contribution to the redevelopment. Both primary and secondary sources are used to research this topic. The primary research consists of an interview with Filip Smits, who has been involved in the redevelopment for het Eilandje in Antwerp. The secondary research consists of literature research on the history, masterplans, green structure plans and key elements of the redevelopment in Bilbao and Antwerp.